Wireless devices can enter a lower power state, or idle state, when not involved in an active communication session. To notify a wireless device in the idle state of the arrival of data, a call request, and the like for delivery to the wireless device, communication systems can send a paging message to the wireless device. Typically a first paging message is sent first to the last access node with which the wireless device was in communication when it entered the idle state. When the wireless device does not respond to the first paging message, a second paging message can be sent to a group of access nodes, referred to as a tracking area, which includes the last access node with which the wireless device was in communication when it entered the idle state and a predetermined, static group of other access nodes.
Tracking areas are configured manually by the communication network provider. The access nodes comprising the tracking area are assigned a tracking area identifier which is broadcast by each access node. When a mobile wireless device detects a new tracking area identifier, the wireless device sends a tracking area update message to the communication network to indicate its new tracking area. Tracking area dimensioning must be carefully considered by the network operator. When a tracking area is too large, paging operations generate substantial network signaling overhead. When a tracking area is too small, wireless devices send tracking area update messages more frequently, also generating substantial network signaling overhead, as well as negatively affecting power storage and processing of the wireless devices.